Gord Butler

I love the smaller class sizes, that was a big draw for us. I don't think enough is said about that - it is huge. We definitely appreciate the opportunity for the advanced mathematics class taught by Mrs. Street. Mrs. Street told us that he is absolutely "passionate" about mathematics. I also have a friend who teaches History and shared that the students in the Senior School dig trenches as a way to understand what it was like to be a WWI soldier. The school trips have been fantastic - consistent highlights - including a visit to the King Municipal buildings where he met the Mayor and got to try on his Chain of Office.

Earlier this year, he was exiting the theatre following morning assembly and someone knocked him by accident. Out came his very loose tooth which went skittering across the floor. An older boy picked it up and came over to him, put his arm around him, and asked if he was okay. When our son relayed this moment to us that evening, I asked what lesson he had learned and he replied, "That when I'm older, I'm going to be kind to the younger ones."

School life for us is about finding the balance in education with balance. Easy to put in a tagline, but we see a lot of evidence of that balance, and our son is just as enthused about the time he spends in the classroom as outside of the classroom, whether that be time spent with friends during lunch or extracurriculars. Education with balance was a big attraction for us - the stuff that happens around the edges is just as important as the great classes and teachers and facilities. Little things like enjoying the lunches and the Student Led Conferences in Junior School and standing on the stage with a microphone at least once a year to get comfortable speaking in public.

The balance part was super important to us - the balance combined with extracurriculars, friends, sports. It's not about the perfect academic scores - there is so much more to the student experience at CDS. As parents, we want to raise a well-rounded person. Balance appealed to us very strongly - we were keen to find out more.

I was very grateful for the fact that I was able to become involved with the Community Relations team. It was at a Meet and Greet Coffee morning and I inquired about taking photographs for the school during extracurriculars. This relationship has grown into a win-win for both me and the school as I am now taking video and photos for the school and genuinely enjoy giving back to the community.

My wife and I have little understanding of the Canadian academic system as our experience is more British centric. As our son joins Middle School - we have to get up to speed with the path he needs to follow for a university and career perspective. The school resources and faculty willingness to help explain the journey have been excellent.